Salvia plant named ‘Balmirvio’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Balmirvio’, characterized by its deep purple-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia greggii.

Variety denomination: ‘Balmirvio’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant botanically known as Salvia greggii and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balmirvio’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inGuadalupe, Calif. during July 2013. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Salvia cultivars having large flowers andan upright-mounded growth habits.

The new Salvia cultivar was the result of a self-pollination of theproprietary Salvia greggii breeding selection coded 13-2639-2, notpatented, characterized by its medium purple-colored flowers, mediumgreen-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during July 2014in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceJuly 2014 in Guadalupe, Calif. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balmirvio’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Deep purple-colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily inhaving a flower color of a different shade of purple and in having morebranches per plant.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar incomparison to the new cultivar is HEATWAVE Sparkle Sage ‘EGGBEN004’,U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,154. However, in comparison, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of ‘EGGBEN004’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of        ‘EGGBEN004’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have darker purple-colored flowers        than plants of ‘EGGBEN004’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have larger-sized flowers, as        measured by corolla width, than plants of ‘EGGBEN004’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values citcd in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balmirvio’. Theplants were approximately eight-months old and grown in one-galloncontainers in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. Plants were given one pinchprior to transplant, one pinch two weeks after transplant, and a finalpinch four weeks after transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balmirvio’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balmirvio’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in June 2016 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown utilizing a soilless growth medium in one-galloncontainers for approximately seven months in Elburn, Ill. Plants weretransplanted in late fall from rooted cuttings and were given one pinchprior to transplant, one pinch two weeks after transplant, and a finalpinch four weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures weremaintained during the winter months at approximately 45° F. to 65° F.(7.2° C. to 18.3° C.) during the day and approximately 35° F. to 45° F.(1.7° C. to 7.2° C.) during the night. For the final 12 weeks,greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70°F. (18.3° C. to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60°F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting wasprovided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages oftypical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia greggii cultivar Balmirvio.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female and male parent.—Proprietary Salvia greggii breeding            selection coded 13-2639-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous white to light brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright-mounded growth habit.        -   Plant type.—Subshrub.        -   Hardiness.—USDA zones 7 to 9.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 33.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral            branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 4            main basal branches and approximately 14 lateral branches.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Moderately            strong, young growth flexible. Length to base of            inflorescence: Approximately 12.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 4.0 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color of            young stems: 144B. Color of mature stems: 144A tinted with            187A in sun, becoming woody 200D with age.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:            Approximately 6. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape:            Elliptic. Margin: Crenulate. Apex: Broadly acute to rounded.            Base: Broadly attenuate to obtuse. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately 4.5 cm. Width            of mature leaf: Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture of upper            surface and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color of            upper surface of young foliage: 144A and 137A with venation            of 144A. Color of lower surface of young foliage: Closest to            138B with venation of slightly lighter than 146D. Color of            upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of 146D.            Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to 138B            with venation of 146D.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:            146C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balmirvio’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions blooming from early spring            through late summer.        -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme with two florets per node,            calyx persistent. Quantity of open inflorescences per plant:            Approximately 19. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height            of inflorescence: Approximately 8.0 cm to 10.5 cm. Width of            inflorescence: Approximately 6.0 cm. Quantity of fully-open            flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 2 to 4.        -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Primarily erect. Length: Approximately 3.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent.            Color: 144A with an overlay of N186A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:            Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.            Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 145A with a            heavy overlay of N186A; petals of N92B with pubescence of            N89A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,            based fused. Width: Approximately 2.0 cm. Length:            Approximately 2.2 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.8 cm.        -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.            Length from throat: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width:            Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of            pubescence: Closest to 86A. Color of inner surface when            first and fully open: NN155D, translucent. Color of outer            surface when first and fully open: 83A to 83B.        -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Obovate, cupped. Shape of            lateral lobes: Oblong. Margin of central lobe: Shallowly            scalloped. Margin of lateral lobes: Entire. Apex of central            lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes: Rounded. Length            from throat of central lobe: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width of            central lobe: Approximately 2.0 cm. Length from throat of            lateral lobes: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.            Texture of lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color of upper            surface when first and fully open: Closest to N81A to N81B.            Color of lower surface when first and fully open: Closest to            N81B to N81C.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width:            Approximately 7.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of inner surface: NN155D, translucent. Color            of outer surface: N81A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 1.2 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 3, fused. Shape: Obovate.            Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length: Approximately            1.2 cm. Width: Two of approximately 4.0 mm and one of            approximately 7.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:            Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 145A with an            overlay of N186A at apex. Color of outer surface: 145A with            a heavy overlay of N186A.        -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of each            developing floret, bracts abscise as florets mature. Length:            Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture            of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface:            Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 137B with a heavy            overlay of 187A. Color of outer surface: 187A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute            angle. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: N186A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:            Approximately 1.3 cm. Filament length: Approximately 1.2 cm.            Filament color: NN155D with an overlay of N81A in center,            opaque. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblong. Anther            length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: N187D. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 9A. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: 1 per flower, strongly curved. Pistil length:            Approximately 2.8 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted.            Stigma length: 3.0 mm. Stigma color: 90B. Style length:            Approximately 2.3 cm. Style color: NN155D, opaque with an            overlay of 90D near stigma. Style texture: Glabrous with a            vertical line of feather-like pubescence extending from the            stigma for approximately 7.0 mm. Ovary length: Approximately            2.0 mm. Ovary color: 154D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Salvia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘Balmirvio’, substantially as herein illustrated and described.